Indoor plants have found wide appeal in homes, offices, and other locations. Continued maintenance of proper temperature and humidity for indoor growth of plants has been widely done for a number of years. These conditions facilitate continuous, year round growth of various types of tropical plants which flourish in the indoor environment when provided with adequate light, water and plant food. In many cases the plant food is mixed with water so that each time the plant is watered at regular intervals, it is also fed with an appropriate amount of plant food and appropriately treated with pesticide. Of late there has also developed an interest in providing potted plants of the hanging basket type which are intended to be hung indoors in offices, homes and in indoor gardens. Because hanging plants typically have small containers they must be watered fairly frequently. Further, many hanging plants of tropical origin require thorough watering on a frequent basis for simulation of tropical conditions.
Generally hanging baskets are provided in two basic types, i.e., wire baskets and closed pots. Wire hanging baskets are formed by a wire framework which is provided with a liner of spagnum moss, peat moss or any other suitable medium form lining the basket and providing a receptacle for soil that receives the roots of the plants. When wire basket type hanging plants are watered, the water poured onto the top of the soil typically seeps down through the soil into the spagnum moss. If excessive water is poured into the soil it can not be contained by the spagnum moss and will drip from the basket onto the floor. For this reason wire hanging baskets are not preferred for indoor use. Moreover, frequently, wire hanging baskets are watered by placing the basket into a large container of water and plant food, which is allowed to soak through the spagnum moss into the soil. When the basket is removed from the watering reservoir it must be hung outdoors for an extensive period of time sufficient for drainage to stop. Thereafter, it may be again hung indoors until such time as watering is again needed. The time and work required for tending this type of hanging plant can detract from the pleasure of hanging plants.
In the case of hanging plants with solid pots, typically pots having an imperforate wall of plastic are provided so that water poured onto the plant is securely retained. At the lower portion of many of these pots is also provided a shallow drip collector that is communicated by one or more drainage openings to the soil contained within the pot. For indoor watering, extreme care must be taken to insure that excessive water is not poured into the container; otherwise the drip collector of the pot will be unable to contain the water and it will drip onto the floor. These types of pots may also be placed in a reservoir of water for soaking as a means of watering, after which they must be hung outdoors until such time as drainage ceases.
The procedure for watering hanging baskets of the wire basket type and of the solid basket type is considered to constitute a significant nuisance as to detract from the pleasure of owning and maintaining plants of this nature. Further, since the watering and feeding procedure must be done outdoors or at a location where drippage is permitted, the hanging baskets must be frequently moved to and from the watering or soaking facility requiring considerable time and effort.